Road barricade or trestle



y 1950 E. 1.. BELL 2,507,880-

ROAD BARRICADE OR TRESTLE Filed Dec; 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O' B R lE N ROAD SCLOSED l Luminescent or ref/ecfive' coating IN VEN TOR.VERA/57 L. 55L 1.

ATTORNEY y 6, 1950 E. L. BELL 2,507,880

ROAD BARRICADE 0R TRESTLE Filed Dec. 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. [P/V$TL.5LL

Me/MM ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7Claims.

This invention relates to a barricade, and has for an object to providean improved barricade or saw-horse intended for use both as a roadbarricade and as a saw-horse, or trestle, as a platform support for usein providing temporary tables or platforms especially useful by paintersand paper hangers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade or trestlethat is collapsible into a minimum of space and one that is madeprincipally or entirely of metal, and hence is both more substantial infact and in appearance than the conventional barricade or saw-horse.Road barricades are generally made of wood, and although fairly weighty,present a flimsy appearance, and because of such appearance, present atemptation to irresponsible motorists, causing a considerable expense tothe contractor who has to maintain a road barricade while doing aconstruction job. A further difficulty with wooden barricades is theirweight and bulkiness, making it a three-man job to set up and take downa barricade, in addition to a large truck and a large storage space.

It is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible barricade,easily handled by the driver of a small truck, without more than onehelper at most, and very easily without any helper, which can be quicklyset up and taken down and stored in a small space.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade to which alamp may be readily attached in such manner as to discourage casualtheft thereof, as contrasted with the present system of hanging a lampon a wall on the end of a wooden barricade, from which it may be removedby a passing irresponsible motorist without stopping his automobile.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade or trestlewhich may readily support a plurality of direction, warning, andadvertising signs without interfering with its portability.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a barricadeconsisting, in its simpl st form, of but two or more pairs of a singlespecial casting, and in its more elaborate form, of two or more pairs ofone or of two additional special casting parts, to which conventionallyavailable tubing is added to complete the barricade or trestle.

A further object of this invention is to thus provide a kit consistingof the two or more pairs of the special casting, and also, if desired,or the same number of the one or two additional special castings, whichmay be stored and shipped by the manufacturer in a minimum space, and towhich the conventional available tubing is added by the localdistributor or user, thus keeping shipping and inventory costs at aminimum.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade or trestlewhich may be made in a standard length, and which may be multiplied inlength by merely addin either a single or a pair of the special castingsfor each additional unit of length desired, along with the necessarytubing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a trestle whichincludes conventional tubing which is perforated at spaced points so asto reduce the temptation of theft thereof for conversion to plumbinguse.

A further object of this invention is to provide a road barricade whichmay be readily weighted on the job so as to make it stable even in thestrongest winds by merely pouring sand into the hollow legs thereof,such sand being always available on construction jobs.

A further object of this invention is to provide a road barricade whichmay be made luminescent or reflective of lights, thus makin it visiblein the glare of a vehicle headlight, and reducing or eliminating theneed for hanging warning lamps thereon.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of this invention in use as a roadbarricade;

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a lamp support therefor;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of a foot;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one of the head castings on a largescale;

Fig. 6 is a View showing the inner face of a head;

Fig. '7 is a peripheral edge view of a head, and

Fig. 8 is a slightly modified view similar to Fig. 2.

There is shown at H) the completed road barricade made up according tothis invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the road barricade consists of ahorizontal cross bar H, at least two pairs of legs [2, and at least twopairs of locking heads M, one of the heads being shown in more detail inFigs. 5, 6 and '7.

On the bottom of each leg l2 there is provided a non-slip foot I5. Arubber overshoe It may be 3 added to each foot I5, particularly whenthis invention is used as a trestle indoors for temporary tables orplatforms, so as not to mar up the floor surface.

As a barricade, one or more signs I! are suspended by rings l8 from thecross bar H, and in addition, a Warnin flag 2B is supported by a post 2|in an integrally formed socket 22 in one head of each pair, while thesocket 22 in the other head of each pair is used to support a detour orother sign or warning 23 suspended by rings it from a horizontal rod 24mounted on the posts 25 in any suitable manner, as by extending throughfriction-tight diametrical holes.

The cross bar i and the legs l2 are each made of conventionally one-inchoutside diameter pipe or tubing, available at any plumbing supply, andto reduce the temptation of stealing them from the job for plumbing use,a number of small spaced perforations 26 are drilled therein.

Two pairs of locking heads it are necessary for assembling a trestle ora barricade of conventional length, and barricades of greater length inmultiples of the original length may be made by adding one cross-bar andone pair of heads, legs, and feet for each additional length. Eachlocking head i is an identical casting as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '7,and consists of a centrally apertured di .1 portion 3% about threeinches in diameter and about seven-sixteenths inch in thickness.

The outer face 3| of the disk 34) is provided with an axially extendingsocket 32 having an internal diameter to receive and support the end ofa piece of One-inch tubing to be used as the cross-bar ii. The depth ofthe socket 322 should be about seven-eighths of an inch, so that a setscrew 33 may extend through the side thereof into the cross bar H, as inFigs. 1 and 2, or alternatively, a cotter pin 34 may be inserted throughthe opposite sides and through appropriately drilled holes in the endsof the cross-bar H, as in Fig. 8.

Radially extending from the outside of axial socket 32, partially in theperiphery of the disk, is a socket 35, of the same diameter as socket32, to receive the end of the leg [2, and have it secured thereto,either by a set screw 33 as in Figs. 1 and 2, or by a cotter pin 34, asin Figs. 3 and 8. As shown in Fig. 3 a cotter pin may also be used as asupport for a lamp 36 when such is desired, making the lamp less readilysubject to theft by a passing irresponsible party, as it is when it ismerely hung on a nail as in the conventional wooden barricade. Alsoradially extending from the outside of socket 32 and partially throughthe periphery of the disk is the second, but small socket 22, to receiveand support the post 2| or 25, the socket 22 forming an angle of about150 with the socket 35.

Extending from the center of the face 38 is an apertured boss 53 aboutone-inch in diameter and about three-sixteenths of an inch in height.Also extending from this same inner face are a plurality of positioningknobs ll and 42, the knob 4i having one radial side 43 almost coincidingwith the axis of post socket 22. These knobs ll and G2 are locatedadjacent to an end at the periphery of the disk inner face 38, and havea height twice that of the boss 49. By assembling two of the heads i lwith their inner faces 33 opposite to each other and their knobs 4!adjacent each other, by means of a bolt and nut either of theconventional type 4 in Fig. 2 or of thewing type 45 in Figs. 6 and I,the wings being slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the crossbar ll, there is provided the main feature of this invention, a pair ofinterlocking heads of identical construction, which will receive andsupport a cross bar H in each cross bar axial socket 32 if desired in anextended barricade, and a pair of legs [2 in foldable relation to eachother, the angle that the legs l2 make to each other being determined bythe position of the three knobs 4i and 42 on each inner face limitingthe rotation of the heads to each other to slightly less than 120, andby adding the knob 46 spaced about 30 from one knob 42, as shown in Fig.6, their rotation is limited to about 60, the knobs 46 serving to limitthe collapsed position of the legs to substantially parallel position toeach other.

A non-slip foot l5'is provided for attachment, when desired, to thebottom of each leg l2, either by a set-screw 33 as in Figs. 1 and 2, orby a cotter pin 35 as in Fig. 8; Each foot l5 consists of a bottompyramid-knobbed disk or pad 41 from whose back there extends a legreceiving socket 48 whose axis is at an angle of about 60, so that whenthe leg I2 is in extended position, the bottom pad is horizontal.Inasmuch as the non-slip surface of the pyramid-knobbed disk woulddamage the floors when used indoors as a trestle, a rubber overshoe l6,molded to fit thereover, may be stretched thereover for such indoor use.

Except for the rubber overshoe I 6, all the parts are of metal and hencenot easily damaged or broken in use, whereby the upkeep and labor coststhereon are greatly reduced as compared to wooden barricades. When adifferent type of sign is needed on a wooden barricade, it must berepainted or a different barricade must-be provided, While with thisinvention, a different sign I! is merely hung in place. If the barricadeis used in an area of extremely high winds, the legs may be temporarilyremoved and filled with sand to add weight. Sand is always available ata road under construction, and the perforations 26 are too small tocause serious leakage, although, if desired, such perforations may beplugged with wads of paper or the like.

By coating the signs and flags with reflective red glass beads or redluminescent paint, the visibility of the-signs at night may be sogreatly enhanced that the need for the lamps 35 is reduced oreliminated. Further, such coatings may also be placed on the bars,legs,'and interlocking heads as well, if desired.

As thus constructed and assembled, a much more substantial barricade isprovided, having a tremendously lower labor and upkeep cost as comparedto conventional wooden barricades, thus contributing to vehicular safetyby lowering road construction and upkeep costs.

While several forms of the improvement have been described andillustrated'herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may bevaried, within'the scope of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

l. A road barricade or trestle comprising a plurality of'pairs ofsubstantially identical inter locking disk heads pivotally securedtogether through their axial centers, means limiting the rotation ofsaid heads to each other, a cross bar tubing, an axially extending crossbar tubing receiving socket'on the outer face of each head, a pluralityof leg tubings, and a radially extending leg tubing receiving socket oneach head.

2. A road barricade or trestle comprising a plurality of pairs ofsubstantially identical interlocking disk heads pivotally securedtogether through their axial centers, means limiting the rotation ofsaid heads to each other, a cross bar tubing, an axially extending crossbar tubing receiving socket on the outer face of each head, a pluralityof leg tubings, a radially extending leg tubing receiving socket on eachhead, and a foot for each leg having an angularly inclined leg tubingreceiving socket on the top thereof.

3 For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar and legtubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlocking heads,each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axially extendingcross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face of said disk,a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk, and a pairof angularly spaced sockets extending radially along the first face ofsaid disk.

4. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar andleg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlockingheads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axiallyextending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face ofsaid disk, a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk,and a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along thefirst face of said disk, the angular spacing between said sockets beingabout 150.

5. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar andleg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlockingheads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axiallyextending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face ofsaid disk, a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk,and a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along thefirst face of said disk, the angular spacing between said sockets beingabout 150, one of said sockets being arranged to receive a leg tubingtherein, the other of said sockets being arranged to receive a posttherein.

6. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar andleg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlockingheads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axiallyextending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face ofsaid disk,

a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk, a pair ofangularly spaced sockets extending radially along the first face of saiddisk, the angular spacing between said sockets being about 150, one ofsaid sockets being arranged to receive a leg tubing therein, the otherof said sockets being arranged to receive a post therein, and aplurality of axially extending knobs, substantially twice the height ofsaid central boss, radially spaced about said opposite face of said diskadjacent the periphery thereof.

7. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar andleg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlockingheads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axiallyextending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face ofsaid disk, a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk,a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along the firstface of said disk, the angular spacing between said sockets being about150, one of said sockets being arranged to receive a leg tubing therein,the other of said sockets being arranged to receive a post therein, anda plurality of axially extending knobs, substantially twice the heightof said central boss, radially spaced about said opposite face of saiddisk adjacent the periphery thereof, one of said knobs having its nearradial face substantially coinciding with the radius extending throughthe axis of said post socket and one of said knobs being displaced aboutmore or less from said first mentioned knob.

ERNEST LELAND BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 259,142 Hart June 6, 18821,408,636 Power Mar. 7, 1922 1,408,675 Wimberg Mar. 7, 1922 1,798,548McCurdy Mar. 31, 1931 1,869,365 Corduan Aug. 2, 1932 1,999,920 WolfsonApr. 30, 1935 2,170,201 Knapp Aug. 22, 1939 2,249,685 Dearing July 15,1941 2,455,664 Ferguson et a1. Dec. 7, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 798,792 France Mar. 11, 1936

